E-mail, Feeds, 'n' Stuff

Friday, January 5, 2007

Is it still on?

A while back we blogged about a cozy confab planned for the evening of the 16th out around Mount Tabor. Portland parks chief Zari Santner was going to "take the time to look back – and to answer any remaining questions about the overall maintenance facilities plan and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Warner Pacific College."

Funny thing, though -- the event is not listed here or here, where one would expect to find it. Does anyone know if it's still scheduled? Why is it not being publicized? Don't tell me they don't want a record turnout and lots of hard-hitting questions and candid comments!

The explaination I heard at a meeting last week was that a temporary employee had made the reservation and somehow the room didn't get reserved, that the Omnibudsman was going to be called in to talk to the Neighborhood association first, then some other internal meeting, and then a public meeting to explain to the folks what is best for them.

You comment Jack about disarry is insightful, the two postions just announced by Parks Services Manager, and Business Manager are interesting to follow.

There has been no real stability or accountability in the neighborhood parks system since the Parks version of the ladies of Multnomah County(Zari Santner(20+years), Lisa Turpul(20+years), and Darlene Carlson(The Scones staffer from the 90's). The tipping point came on the operations side of things with Ron Maynard's "reorganized" in the mid 90's when budget cuts forced that "reorganization". The next was David Judd, also had his position as Deputy Director "reorganized" by Ms. Santer, the position was eliminated and a new position created at a much lower salary and filled by appointment by Ms. Carlson, strangely enough it appears from the compensation information you published the salary for the new position has been reclassified over $20K so it is now withing 10% of the old one. Strange how that works. Then came Ms. Huff, who started questioning the finances, and parks finally published a Cost of Services Report in 2002-3, which was enough to get that position "reorganized" again in 2004, and a national search turned up Ms. Kowalski, who only lasted 18 months, and now an "internal search" by Zari yields a candidate in a senior mangement position who apparently has no parks experience, managing recreation services and parks maintenance operations.

The Business Managers Position was created and the Ms. Bean was introduced at the February 2006 Parks Board meeting and gone in six months, another nationwide search was conducted, candidates interviewed, and an announcment supposed to be made in September according to the employee newsletter, and surprise surprise, another long time 20+ year insider parks employee is named.

That is not to mention the Finance manager they hired in 2005 that didn't make it through last years budget season because she was arrested.

The really sad thing is it doesn't have to be this way. There are so many good worker bees in parks that try hard really care and love the wonderful system we have. It just breaks my heart to see what is going on there.

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 113
At this date last year: 155
Total run in 2016: 155
In 2015: 271
In 2014: 401
In 2013: 257
In 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269